(LEWISTON, NEW YORK) - More than 150 Nursing Home Workers – who are represented by 1199 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) United Healthcare Workers East at Ascension Living at Our Lady of Peace in Lewiston will Strike in a battle with management for competitive wages and better staffing levels on Wednesday (March 9th).

Negotiations between St. Louis based Ascension Living’s management and Union Workers have broken down over economic issues, 1199 SEIU Representatives said late last week.

“We will Strike to help our residents,” Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Jacqulyn Vincent said. “We need more Staff and we can’t get more Workers without decent wages and benefits.”

Caregivers employed at Ascension Living at Our Lady of Peace are Registered Nurses (RNs), Nurse Assistants, Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA)-Rehabilitation, Certified Rehabilitation Aide, Direct Care Nurse (Graduate PN), Environmental Services Operator, Housekeeping Aide, Laundry Aide, LPNs, Maintenance Technician, Nurse Assistant Student, Nutrition Services Aide, Nutrition Services Cook, Cook's Assistant, Porter/Dishwasher, Recreational Aide, Registered Staff Nurses, Senior Housekeeping Aide, and Unit Attendants.

Last month, the Union-represented Healthcare Workers at Ascension Living at Our Lady of Peace, a subsidiary of one of the largest Catholic Health Systems in the United States that is based in St. Louis, Missouri, voted unanimously to authorize a one-day Strike.

Ascension Living at Our Lady of Peace Caregivers have been working without a contract since December 31st (2021) when their 16-month contract expired.

Last week, 1199 SEIU issued a 10-day Strike Notice to Ascension Living, which has sent letters to Workers threatening a five-day unpaid lockout if the planned Strike proceeds.

Union leaders say locking out Workers beyond the one-day Strike is illegal.

“This is another way for a large out-of-state company, like Ascension Living, to intimidate Workers in a small rural community who are only trying to provide the best care to their residents,” 1199 SEIU Vice President Grace Bogdanove said.

1199 SEIU had filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Charge against Ascension Living with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), alleging that locking out workers in favor of contracting agency Workers for four days longer than necessary is a clear violation of Worker’s Rights under the law.

“We are only doing a one-day Strike, but Ascension is locking us out of work for four days,” Maintenance Technician Daniel Martinucci said. “Four days! Ascension is gonna have to pay out of their pocket to hire agency, which is costing them a lot more than what we make.  We are just asking for fair wages.”

1199 SEIU has asked that a Federal Mediator join the talks in hopes of reaching an agreement with Ascension Living.

“We are doing everything we can to avoid a Strike,” 1199 SEIU’s Bogdanove said. “However, we cannot ignore the staffing crisis at Our Lady of Peace, or the fact that Ascension Living has closed down three units.  Ascension Living must offer competitive wages that will recruit and retain Health Care Workers.  This will help to remediate the staffing crisis so that Workers can spend more time caring for their residents.”

Last week, a mobile billboard featuring Caregivers drove throughout Niagara County, asking residents to sign a petition in support of their fight for a fair contract.  Workers also distributed leaflets to Lewiston area businesses advising the community about the impending one-day Strike.

In February, dozens of Workers participated in an informational picket to call attention to Ascension Living’s closure of units and lack of competitive wages.  The Workers said improved wages that meet the area standards of pay are needed to attract more Workers to care for the most vulnerable residents and that securing competitive wages will help to recruit and retain Caregivers at the nursing home.

Meanwhile, 1199 SEIU Representatives say the unit closures and pending layoffs have not alleviated the facility’s staffing crisis.  In fact, they add, the closures have lowered the amount of available beds in the area.

Ascension Living at Our Lady of Peace started closing units in November 2020.

According to US Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the facility is currently 48% occupied, well below the 83% New York State average.

1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East – whose mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all, is the largest and fastest-growing Health Care Union in America – representing more than 400,000 Nurses and Caregivers throughout the states of New York, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Florida, and in Washington, D.C.